Chapter 117: How I Long to Fall in Love with You

“It was I who personally concocted it,” Mei’er She said, her cheeks flushed with shyness. “Yan Chixia, what I said is true, but you just won’t believe me. Now I’ll say it again: my ‘Soft Bone Powder’ was truly meant for self-defense—I never imagined it would be used on you.”

Yan Chixia chuckled knowingly. “I understand, you used it in the wrong place. That was purely an accident—because I am not a lecher... Well, enough about that. Let’s change the subject. Mei’er, during dinner you mentioned that yesterday you had an unexpected encounter with the Immortal Wuji outside Sun’s Pharmacy. I want to know, what did you go there for?”

“To buy medicinal ingredients,” Mei’er replied. “Yan Chixia, in a few days we’re going to the Mysterious Island together, right? My master is worried that the ancient ruins there might have poisonous miasma. She said it’s better to be prepared and wants to make ‘Miasma-Repelling Pills.’ Since our pharmacy was short of orpiment and copper sulfate, that’s why I went to Sun’s Pharmacy in Qingfeng Town to purchase them... So, Yan Chixia, hasn’t your master been preparing in this regard these past few days?”

“She has,” Yan Chixia responded. “Yesterday we also refined some ‘Great Restoration Pills’ and ‘Nine-Turn Gold Pills’...”

“Good, that’s right,” Mei’er said eagerly. “Yan Chixia, I overheard you talking about the ancient ruins on Mysterious Island earlier... I know what cultivation resources are there. Do you want to know?”

Yan Chixia’s interest piqued. “Of course I do! Mei’er, tell me quickly.”

“Hee hee hee...” Mei’er laughed proudly. “I can tell you, but you have to give me a kiss on the cheek first...”

“Stop!” Before Mei’er could finish, Yan Chixia quickly interrupted. “I don’t want to hear it anymore. Mei’er, don’t say another word!”

“Oh!” Mei’er’s face flushed crimson. “Yan Chixia, I was just joking. Why do you always take everything I say seriously? Alright, no more jokes. Now I’ll tell you: according to my master, the ancient ruins on Mysterious Island contain not only ‘Seven-Colored Spirit Stones,’ but also the ‘Hundred Herb Garden,’ the ‘Sea Soul Garment,’ the ‘Spirit Spring,’ and the ‘Spirit Vein.’”

“Really?” Yan Chixia was overcome with excitement, unable to contain his boundless joy. “‘Seven-Colored Spirit Stones’? ‘Hundred Herb Garden’? ‘Sea Soul Garment’? ‘Spirit Spring’? ‘Spirit Vein’? My heavens, what immense cultivation resources! Wonderful! Mei’er, you always surprise me! I suddenly find you more and more adorable! Ha ha, it’s so good to know you!”

Hearing this, Mei’er’s heart fluttered wildly; a radiant smile bloomed on her face like a peach blossom. Her sapphire-like eyes sparkled with enchanting brilliance as she gazed affectionately at Yan Chixia’s handsome face, her voice sweet as honey: “Is that so? Yan Chixia, I find you more and more eloquent! What you just said opened my heart like a gentle spring breeze... Handsome boy, since I’m so lovely, how about dating me? I really, really want to date you...”

“Shut up!” Before Mei’er could finish, Yan Chixia’s expression darkened, cutting her off. “Mei’er, why do you always come back to this? Have you forgotten that I take your jokes seriously the moment you make them?”

Mei’er’s face reddened further. “But Yan Chixia, I’m not joking now. I’m sincere!”

“Then you shouldn’t say it!” Yan Chixia said solemnly. “Dating requires mutual consent... Mei’er, don’t you know what ‘forced melons aren’t sweet’ means?”

“I...”

“What?” Yan Chixia’s voice turned stern. “Mei’er, I think your stomachache is gone now. Enough wasting time. Hurry up and study ‘Paper Talisman Drawing.’ Otherwise, if you keep being so distracted, I won’t teach you anymore.”

“Alright!” Mei’er said helplessly. “Yan Chixia, I’ll listen... Can’t I just obey?” Reluctantly, she picked up a talisman paper and a cinnabar brush, then, referring to the butterfly pattern Yan Chixia had drawn for her, she forced herself to imitate it carefully.

Seeing this, Yan Chixia said no more. He knew even drawing this small butterfly would take Mei’er quite some time. Wanting to make the most of his time for cultivation, he quietly walked to the ancient pine tree in front of Qingxu Taoist Temple, sat down on the ground, closed his eyes, and calmly began his meditation.

Mei’er held the cinnabar brush, appearing absorbed in her drawing, but her thoughts lingered on Yan Chixia’s earlier words.

“What is going on?” she wondered. “Yan Chixia said I’m getting cuter, but when I want to date him, he refuses... What am I lacking? Oh, I know! It’s Bai Xiaoyue! Yan Chixia likes Bai Xiaoyue—because he’s fond of her and devoted to her, he can’t like me... This is troublesome! How can I make Yan Chixia like me? I’ve got it! ‘Only the person who tied the bell can untie it’—Yan Chixia listens to Bai Xiaoyue the most. If Bai Xiaoyue speaks up for me, he will definitely like me... Yes, that’s the way! No time to waste, I’ll go find Bai Xiaoyue now...”

Filled with excitement, Mei’er set down her brush, stood up, her robes fluttering as she hurried toward Bai Xiaoyue’s room.

Inside, Bai Xiaoyue was sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, deeply focused on cultivating her true energy.

Bursting in excitedly, Mei’er said, “Yue’er, pause your cultivation for a moment. I need your help!”

Startled, Bai Xiaoyue stopped immediately, stood up, and looked at Mei’er’s smiling face. “What’s wrong, sister? How can I help?”

Mei’er warmly took Bai Xiaoyue’s hands, cheeks flushed. “Yue’er, I like Yan Chixia and suddenly really want to date him... But he refuses! Yue’er, I know he listens to you most, so I want you to persuade him, convince him to agree to date me...”

“Sister, are you running a fever?” Bai Xiaoyue interrupted before Mei’er could finish.

Mei’er was taken aback. “No... why?”

“Hee hee,” Bai Xiaoyue smiled. “Then why are you talking nonsense? Sister, dating requires mutual consent—even if brother listens to me, he won’t do everything I say! You clearly told me just now that you want to date him and he refuses. If I bring this up to him again now, it won’t end well—it might even backfire.”